8 years is not enough for Uitenhage rapist dad

Ms Thandi NontenjaUDEMWO Secretary General

The United Democratic Movement Women’s Organisation (UDEMWO) is pleased to see that it is true that “ityala aliboli”. The sentencing of the retired Salvation Army captain, Lionel Potgieter, who raped his daughter since an early age is a typical example.

In as much as he finally got what he deserved, eight years is not enough. Chantel was viciously abused and tortured for six years during her formative years.

Nothing can ever bring back Chantelle’s youth. She never had a life of being a child, because someone she looked up to and who was supposed to protect her, abused her instead.

It is heart-breaking that, most of the time, the law favours the perpetrators over the victims. UDEMWO calls for harsher punitive measures to be meted out to those who abuse women and children.